A Blind Heart
by A Heartless Stranger
Summary: having been born without sight Naruto struggles through his ninja career and hopefully he'll come out on top that is if he lives long enough to make it there. Slight OC/Pairings Undecided


Naruto plucked absent mindfully at the strings on his "walnut colored" violin, enjoying its sweet and delicate melody. He had played this tune thousands of times and yet, he smiled wistfully, he always longed to play it again outside just to hear the gentle ascension of the chords as the sun warmed his skin. Sadly, it had become a decreasing habit since his genin days after all with all the excess training he had to do his arms could barely lift the lightweight bow. Begrudgingly it made him think of the past when this song and his violin was his only possession in this world, the only thing that he held on for dear life and how if he had played so little back then he would've been devastated. But this was before he realized no one else enjoyed** his **music and he had no future playing the damn thing as others ripped his dreams to shreds only his heart left to bleed as countless stabbed it with their callous words. But His heart just seemed_even more _painfully lonely as he thought no one would ever enjoy this melody with him. His hazy blue eyes watered, he shouldn't think such thoughts. He cursed at his traitorous mind such thought only brought more misery to his depressing situation. As he ripped the final chords out after realizing he dragged out the last octave. He sighed, soberly he thought how this song warmed his soul and mended his wounded heart, as he wandered in the endlessly dark world, he would forever live in the shadows, because tragically Uzumaki Naruto had been blind since birth.

He never thought to ask why because bitterly he knew it wouldn't bring light to his dark world. Even though when he was a small child, he thought it was normal. Everyone lived in a world of darkness, everyone used sounds to "see", everyone was faceless just a mass of limbs, till a "_kind_" caretaker explained otherwise, that he had been cursed to lived without light and the beautiful colors in the world and everyone else was allowed to bask in it's glory. They just seemed so ungrateful, to see such wonders every day and take them for granted, it made his mouth taste bitter.

But then he understood. He was blind. Sightless. Living in a world of darkness. He knew he couldn't ever be normal, he couldn't "see" what others saw and he knew that would never change. He pondered aimlessly as he played the violin under the cool shade of the pine. He didn't even know what the sky looked it as vast and beautiful as everyone proclaimed it to be? He leaned against the pine tree for support, he could only guess what trees looked like. Wondering what the rough trees looked like compared to his smooth violin wood. He didn't even know what he looked like. Maybe, he was ugly? Maybe he was so repulsive everyone detested his presence, so naturally he became the one treated with so much harsh behaviour. Sighing he let out a raspy breath and drop his head in his hand in pure frustration he never knew why everyone hated him, ignored him, when he told others he was laughed at while being calling paranoid. But it was strange everyone ignored him he knew other children were caressed by gentle words of a woman who weren't even blood related when they skin their knees in the park. When he had done it himself however everyone turned their heads the other way, walked and never looked back.

For a while he had blamed himself if only he wasn't born blind, if only he was a better ninja, and if only...he wasn't born at all. The last thought had made him ashamed or rather others were ashamed for him those who pretended to care, suicide in a ninja village was almost taboo and such ungrateful brat as he should appreciate a life, right? However how much he tried to blend in, to love life, the more everyone hated him and eventually he just...gave up. Till he found his one true calling, the violin the one thing he was good at, he was filled with so much pride when he mastered the first note, he was sure for once in his life this village couldn't take away this happiness, but he was so wrong. They destroyed his dreams when they had broke his left hand, of course they claimed it to be an accident but the cart owner had seemed so satisfied when she heard the painful crunch as the cart wheel crush his hand, they had won. Even when his hand had healed, he just couldn't anymore, no matter how hard he tried, he just burst into tears every time he touched his violin. Eventually with much effort on Hokage-Ojii's part he was able to play again, but it never was the same anymore and it never could be. When he entered the academy he vowed to himself to be the best no matter what, for him to win for once. So he stayed resilient and put up with all the crap they put him through, so they tried even harder, and in the end he had won, he was a ninja.

But despite their best efforts to discourage him, he had surrived long enough to become a ninja and graduate from the academy which was far beyond his own expectations. With a smug after thought he thought of all the non-graduates that had mocked him were still doing survival training with Iruka while he got to go on cool and heroic missions. He had even gone on an A rank mission before where his team defeated the legendary Demon of the Mist Zabuza and the deadly Haku. But everybody had said his victory was only because Uchiha Sasuke was on his team afterall he_ was _"the blind ninja" useless to his team and the world. But he was going to show them! he could become the Hokage even though he was blind! He'll become the best!

He gently stowed his violin away, picked his staff off the ground and trudged back to his apartment. He had managed to avoid any conflicts till he felt a sharp pain in his neck as a few people threw rocks at him and then he could hear them scuttle off. He felt he should scream after them but knew already it was slightly too late for that. He settled for the fact that it was because they were humans conceited with their ability to see and turned himself back eastward towards his apartment. Suddenly, somebody hit his shoulder. "Naruto?" he heard a sharp feminine voice exclaim. He recognized that voice as his vapid teammate Sakura "Oh! Good thing I found you. Kakashi-sensei wants to see us." She told him, grabbing his hand and running forward.

"Ah! Slow down!" he shouted desperatley as he tried to match his pace to brigde was quiet when they arrived meaning Sasuke was leaning against the rail waiting patienly for Kakashi to arrive. His suspisions were confirmed when Sakura harped a rather energetic hello to Sasuke. She quickly released his hand and cheerfully began to flirt with with their sullen teamate. How Naruto would wish that he could see his teamates. Was Sasuke trully dark and mysterious? Did Sakura really have such unique hair? And how could Kakashi-sensi wear a mask while eating? Just what did the world of light look like?

Suddenly, he could hear the soft plodding of footsteps on wood. "Yo, everyone!" He could recognize the cool and aloof tone as their sensei voice. I've get a surprise for you all, I've recommended you for the chuunin exam." He told them with smug joy, then all hell broke loose Sakura shrieked shock evident in her voice while Sasuke made a rather pleased_ "Hn" _while he himself remained in shock unable to form even basic words. Naruto thought that his hearing had failed him or maybe Kakashi was going senile. Had he really recommend him for the chunin exams? "It's up to you. You can choose to participate. If you do, then report to room 301 at 4pm tomorrow at the must have noticed Naruto's anxiety when he took Naruto's clenched fist in his own and slipped a small sheet paper in his palm. "You'll do fine Naruto" he said gently trying to assure him he could actually achieve this. Hope and pride welled in Naruto's chest hopefully he could do this and prove he wasn't the blind loser so he responded with a quietly determined "Yes sensei!" and with that, a small poof had signalled Kakashi had disappeared.

He swore he could almost feel his teammates gazes at his back as they wondered if he could actually take the exam he knew they both thought he shouldn't be a ninja since he wasn't rookie of the year or the smartest in the class, he was dead last struggling to stay alive. But he knew it he truly had no other options than a ninja lifestyle so he would fight tooth and nail to the end even if it had finally managed to kill him. His resolved straightened as he declared upwards toward the sky he was going to do this! But all he could hear was an awkward silence, Sasuke "Tch" and walk away while Sakura seemed to nervously figure out if she should stay with on the bridge with me or follow Sasuke to ask for another date, she chose the latter. Leaving me alone on the bridge with babbling river to mix with my own rambling thoughts.

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End of Prologue

Author Notes: I admit this wasn't originally my story but I'm tired of stories with good ideas never updating (it's been 2 years) so I've decided to write this, using the original as a template which is why they seem similar but since there was only one chapter of the original the next chapter will be completely my own. Helpful criticism will be heard as well as any offers for beta's and pairing suggestions, also if I get too many complaints to take it down I will do so after careful consideration.


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